Miles College running back Devonta-Parker Johnson goes in for a touchdown against Stillman on Thursday October 25th, 2012. (William Dill/The Birmingham News)

It's here now.

It's the matchup prognosticators predicted before either
team played a down this season.

Miles College and Tuskegee University will meet Saturday at
4 p.m. at Albert J. Sloan Alumni Stadium and the stakes couldn't be higher.

Both teams' only loss came in one-point games to start the
season. Both are undefeated in the conference and spot in next week's Southern
Intercollegiate Conference championship game in Atlanta will be on the line.

"We want to make sure we're understanding the importance of
this game," Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said. "It's going to be a big game, an
exciting game. Emotions are going to be high. It came down to (No.) 1 versus
(No.) 2. We've just got to continue focusing and working hard.

The matchup will pit Miles coach Reginald Ruffin against one
of his mentors in Tuskegee coach Willie Slater.

Ruffin, in his second season at the Golden Bears' helm after
guiding them to a conference title in his first year as a head coach, worked
under Slater for five years as the Golden Tigers' defensive coordinator/linebackers
coach before coming to Miles.

Slater, nearly a 30-year veteran of the profession, recruited
Ruffin out of high school and served as offensive coordinator at North Alabama
while Ruffin starred on the defensive side of the ball during the mid-1990s.

Ruffin said he still maintains a relationship with his
former boss despite the fact that they're now conference and divisional rivals.

"We talk," Ruffin said. "We just don't during the week of
our game. We always talk after. We have always had a great relationship. If I
have a problem or situation to arise, I'll call him and bring it across to him
to see what his feedback is, and with his expertise, what does he think and
vice versa."

Miles features the conference's top-rated offense, averaging
39.2 points per game while Tuskegee has the conference's stingiest defense. The
Golden Tigers have given up 73 points all season while recording a SIAC-best 17
interceptions and allowing one rushing touchdown. Tigers running back Derrick Washington leads
the conference in rushing, averaging 120.9 yards per game.

"It's going to be an emotional time and an emotional day,"
Ruffin said of going up against Slater. "But somebody's gotta win
and somebody's gotta lose."